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Astronomy

As Cassini’s tour of Saturn draws to a close, a look back at postcards from the probe

As Cassini prepares to plunge to its death, we celebrate the spacecraft's discoveries and breathtaking images of Saturn, its rings and moons.

Paleontology

This ancient sea worm sported a crowd of ‘claws’ around its mouth

A newly discovered species of arrow worm that lived over half a billion years ago had about twice as many head spines as its modern kin.

Tech

New antennas are up to a hundredth the size of today’s devices

A new type of antenna could be used in tiny electronics for wearable tech, injectable medical devices and more.

Astronomy

These chip-sized spacecraft are the smallest space probes yet

Space initiative dubbed Breakthrough Starshot sent the smallest spacecraft yet into orbit around Earth.

Health & Medicine

Birth control research is moving beyond the pill

After decades of research, reproductive biologists are on the verge of developing new birth control options that stop sperm from maturing or save a woman's eggs for later.

Anthropology

Some secrets of China’s terra-cotta army are baked in the clay

Specialized production system lay behind the famous terra-cotta troops found in ancient Chinese emperor’s tomb.

Astronomy

On a mountain in Wyoming, the eclipse brings wonder — and, hopefully, answers

Astronomy writer Lisa Grossman joined scientists on a mountain in Wyoming who were measuring the corona using four different instruments to try to figure out why it’s so hot.

Planetary Science

Mars has nighttime snow storms

When clouds of water-ice particles cool at night, snow starts to fall rapidly on Mars, simulations suggest. The squalls could explain observations made by the Phoenix lander in 2008.

Astronomy

Eclipse watchers will go after the biggest solar mystery: Why is the corona so hot?

Usually when you move away from a heat source, it gets cooler. Not so in the sun’s atmosphere.

Astronomy

Does the corona look different when solar activity is high versus when it’s low?

Carbondale, Ill., will get two eclipses in a row, seven years apart — making it the perfect spot to watch the solar cycle in action.

Astronomy

Cosmic lens lets astronomers zoom in on a black hole’s burps

The beginnings of a jet from an active black hole in a distant galaxy were spotted thanks to a lucky alignment.

Astronomy

Here are the paths of the next 15 total solar eclipses

From 2017 to 2040, there will be 15 total solar eclipses. Here's a map of where to see them.